CANADIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES NEW TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

Prime Minister Trudeau announced today further restrictions on international travellers including making it mandatory for passengers to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive in Canada.

The federal government said passengers will have to quarantine at Government of Canada-approved hotels until COVID test results come back which could take up to three days. The new government-approved hotel stay will be implemented as soon as possible in the weeks to come. 

All incoming international flights will also be forced to land in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal along with mandatory testing for all arriving passengers, taking effect February 3. 

In addition, Canada is suspending all flights to the Caribbean and Mexico from January 31 to April 30, agreed upon by Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat.

MANDATORY COVID TESTING AT PEARSON AIRPORT FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS TO START MONDAY

Premier Ford announced this afternoon that all international travellers (including Canadians returning from abroad) must submit to mandatory COVID testing upon arrival at Pearson Airport. The new measures come into place Monday February 1.

FEDERAL HIGHLY AFFECTED SECTORS LOAN PROGRAM OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS ON MONDAY 

This week, the federal government announced the launch of the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP), providing financial support for businesses that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.

Through HASCAP, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) will work with participating banks to offer government-guaranteed, low-interest loans of up to $1 million. Hard-hit businesses, like hotels or restaurants with multiple locations under one related entity, could be eligible for up to $6.25 million. HASCAP aims to help businesses with their day-to-day operating costs during the COVID-19 crisis and enable them to invest in their longer-term prosperity.

To be eligible, businesses need to show a year-over-year revenue decline of at least 50% in three months, within the eight months prior to their application. They must also be able to show their financial institutions that they have previously applied for either the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy or the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy. 

Eligible businesses can start applying as early as February 1 at principal financial institutions and more widely by February 15.

DESTINATION TORONTO’S NEIGHBOURHOOD STROLLS WITH TORONTO AMBASSADORS CONTINUE

With the lockdown still ongoing, Destination Toronto’s social media platforms continue to encourage locals to stay safe while also supporting Toronto businesses and neighbourhoods including this week’s takeout day contest featured Mamakas Taverna on the Ossington strip.

This weekend, neighbourhood strolls continue with Krystle from @DineandFash getting some outdoor exercise while exploring the St. Lawrence Market. And then Toronto Ambassador @thecuriouscreature and photographer Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) explore different winter scenes around the city. 

Watch this space for upcoming local strolls in the weeks to come through some of the city’s favourite neighbourhoods.

REMINDER: ONTARIO SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT GRANT 

The portal to apply for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant is now open. Eligible businesses can receive between $10,000 and $20,000 to help with revenue losses expected as a result of the province-wide shutdown. To qualify businesses must demonstrate they have experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent when comparing monthly revenue in April 2019 and April 2020. New businesses established since April 2019 are also eligible provided they meet the other eligibility criteria. Businesses will be able to use the support in whatever way makes the most sense for them.

More information including the application for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant can be found here:

• Application Guide
• Application Link

Minister Lisa MacLeod is hosting a webinar on Monday February 1 at 2 p.m. to discuss this, and other supports available to businesses including Property Tax and Energy Rebates, Main Street Relief Grant for PPE, Not-For-Profit Support with Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Support for Arts Organizations.

Sign up to attend the free webinar here.

REMINDER: TOURISM AND HOSPTALITY WORKSHOP SERIES:
OTEC’S RESILIENCY TRAINING SERIES 

The Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) is hosting a new series of workshops for tourism and hospitality industry businesses and workers. The four resiliency training workshops were developed to address worker skills gaps and to build a more resilient workforce given the uncertainty of the pandemic. The series includes workshops on leadership, communications, conflict management and stress management. 

INDUSTRY NEWS

Canada’s Wonderland sets opening day return: This week, Canada’s Wonderland announced May 14^th as its opening day, noting that the theme park will be monitoring public health guidelines and will  work with industry and government officials to ensure our reopening plan meets all required health and safety regulations.

Toronto closes skating rinks to out-of-towners: Starting February 3, people living outside Toronto will not be permitted to skate on city rinks. Since its 54 outdoor rinks opened in November, the City has received more than 735,000 online skating reservations.

Women From Space is Toronto’s first hologram music festival: The experimental music festival, Women From Space, will beam performances to you via the Holobox Theatre, a hologram device you assemble at home. The festival, which aims to create space for women in experimental, jazz and improv music scenes, takes place from March 6-8 (International Women’s Day Weekend).